Suspect's family apologizes to relatives of slain party store owner

A woman who identified herself as the great aunt of murder suspect Clinton Grayson apologizes to the family of slain party store owner Basim Sulaka at the end of Monday’s court proceedings. “We are truly sorry,” she said. RAY SKOWRONEK -- THE MACOMB DAILY

Clinton Rayshawn Grayson is escorted out of Clinton Township Police Department by Officer Greg Lewsinski after he was formally charged in the shooting death of party store owner Basim Sulaka. RAY SKOWRONEK -- THE MACOMB DAILY

Relatives of one of the men suspected in the shooting death of a Clinton Township party store owner on Monday apologized to the victim’s family after a court hearing, saying “he was not raised like this.”

The statement came after the four suspects were ordered to be held without bond for the March 28 slaying of Basim “Basil” Sulaka in the Moon Lite Party Store on Harper Avenue near 14 Mile Road.

“Never in a million years would I imagine seeing a family member in this situation,” said Emanuel Grayson of Phoenix, Ariz., an uncle of suspect Clinton Grayson.

Clinton Grayson, 24, of Detroit, was arraigned along with Darius Glaskin, 24, of Detroit, Kenneth Hill 26, of Clinton Township, and Jomar Robinson, 25, of Clinton Township. Some relatives said the four are cousins.

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They were arraigned before 41B District Court Magistrate Dan Goulette on charges of felony murder, armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery and felony firearm. They face up to life in prison if convicted on the most serious charges.

In addition, Robinson, a convicted sex offender, was charged with failure to comply with the state registry for sex offenders after he failed to update his phone number and address. Bond for that offense was set at $10,000.

At the end of the proceedings, a woman who identified herself only as a great-aunt of Clinton Grayson stood from her front-row seat and looked to Sulaka’s wife and other relatives sitting in the two rows behind her and said: “We’re truly sorry. Justice will be served.”

Once in the hallway, a woman who said she was Grayson’s mother went on to say, “We do not condone anything like that. He was not raised like this.”

Elston Barron of Canton, another uncle of Clinton Grayson, said all four suspects have children of their own. He said his heart goes out to the Sulakas for their loss, but said families of the suspects are also hurting.

“It’s a great loss to both sides,” he said, “Words can’t express the loss of a father.”

Emanuel Grayson said while all of the suspects “are in a lot of trouble,” they are still innocent until proven guilty. “We believe in the judicial system, but it is hard for us to hear people calling these kids ‘monsters.’”

Relatives of Sulaka -- a 51-year-old cancer survivor from Sterling Heights -- cried out in court as the charges were read. They left without speaking to the media, but his wife, Linda Sulaka, told The Macomb Daily that she was glad she attended the proceedings, but added “my nerves...”

At a news conference after the court proceedings, police and prosecutors did not divulge much new information on the Sulaka shooting as there is an ongoing investigation into at least six other robberies in the tri-county area that the four men are suspected of committing.

Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith declined to identify which of the four actually pulled the trigger that killed Sulaka during a late-night robbery at the party store. He said all four share culpability by their presence at the scene.

Smith said an in-house surveillance video shows Sulaka did not resist when three masked gunmen entered the store and demanded cash.

“For some reason -- we don’t know why -- they shot him,” Smith said. “It appeared to be the same as any other robbery we’ve seen. I can’t answer why Basil ended up dead.”

Smith said a “substantial amount of evidence” was located at one of the suspect’s home. Asked if the suspects were cooperating with detectives, he said they “made statements to the police that are consistent with the facts of the case.”

Clinton Township Police Chief Fred Posavetz said township officers worked with a number of other local, county and federal agencies in the Comprehensive Violence Reduction Partnership to investigate the robbery and make the arrests.

“This reprehensible crime shocked the whole community and citizens turned to our police department for justice,” he said. “We could not and would not tolerate the killing of an unarmed business owner who offered no resistance.”

A preliminary exam for the four is expected to be held within the next two weeks. The four are being held in the Macomb County Jail.